John Lynch's sporting review of 2024

Commentator John Lynch looks back on an action packed 2024 and gives us his Leitrim sporting highlights of the past 12 months.

HIGHLIGHT

Being in Croke Park and being in the fortunate position to be behind the microphone when the Leitrim ladies won the All -Ireland intermediate football championship. Not just the fact that they defeated a Tyrone side that were playing in the senior grade not that all long ago, but the style of football Leitrim played that day was mighty to see - direct play, long kick passes, ability to take excellent scores and a massive desire to win. The Leitrim girls did a county proud while the management team led by Jonny Garrity have also to be applauded.

LOWLIGHT

Whereas many dreams come true at the Olympic there are also many shattered and unfortunately the latter was the case for Sligo Boxer Dean Clancy who fights out of the Sean McDermott Boxing club in Manorhamilton. Clancy went out after a bruising bout against Obada Al-Kasbeh which ended in a split decision in favour of the Jordanian. The damage was done in the first round and with his opponent having the experience of having competed in the Rio and Tokyo Olympics it was always going to be a huge task to repair the damage. The questionable nature of some of the judging decisions in boxing at the Olympics were also disappointing.

PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR

I am giving my vote to Kevin McGloin, the Melvin Gaels Goalkeeper for his performance in this year’s Leitrim Intermediate football final. Melvin Gaels were dead and buried in that decider and while others were lost at sea their last line of defence was ultimately their hero.

Melvin Gaels' Kevin McGloin, pictured with his family after the Smith Monumentals IFC Final, was John Lynch's Personality of the Year Picture: Willie Donnellan

He made one superb save just before Melvin Gaels scored three late goals that resulted in them wresting the title from Allen Gaels. But McGloin is everything you want in a player and has serious leadership qualities as a skipper and future manager.

TEAM OF THE YEAR

The Leitrim Ladies will rightly win this award in many submissions, and they were my highlight of the year but the team of the year award I am giving to Mohill the back-to-back senior football champions. It’s a monkey off their back, winning consecutive titles and to emerge after two outstanding games of football in the drawn final and subsequent replay is some achievement. Their performances as well as that of Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins in those Leitrim finals were major highlights of 2024.

HERO OF THE YEAR

In a year where he went to his eternal reward, I don’t think you could go through a sports review without mentioning the Late John O’Mahony. What John achieved with Leitrim, Galway and countless other teams was remarkable. He is without doubt one of the greatest managers of his generation. In my half century on this planet he is the only manager to have led Sam west of the Shannon.

SPORTS REVIEW OF THE YEAR: LEITRIM LADIES STAR ELISE BRUEN LOOKS BACK OVER 2024

John O was inducted into the Ocean FM Sports Star Hall of fame back in November and the occasion reminded me when he was afforded the same honour in Leitrim some years back. John was a special man that left a huge impression on so many that knew him and worked with him with teams and in media circles as I was fortunate to have. He was, you could say, my hero for many years.

EVENT THAT MADE ME GO WOW!

The Leitrim senior football final and replays. A championship that needed to ignite after the group sages had been concluded needed to at the business end and it did not once but twice. The first in front of a large TG4 audience the second in front of the Leitrim streaming cameras which also attracted a large audience on the back of the epic drawn encounter.

There was everything you could ask for drama, twists, turns and some cracking football before the issue was settled on spot kicks. It’s not often you leave a GAA game now where the supporters wanted another installment.

ONE THING I’D DO TO MAKE SPORT BETTER IN 2025

Change the rules around Gaelic football to make it more spectator friendly. That’s right Jim Gavin and his review committee have already done that and fair play to them the new rules must be given a chance and the inter-provincials in Connacht offer hope. A lot of sport need to tidy up discipline and a level of respect needs to be found for those taking part or acting as an official. A level of fair play and integrity is lacking in sports and the battle to expose corruption must also be supported.

WHAT ARE THE BIG CHALLENGES FACING LEITRIM SPORT IN 2025?

Personnel and infrastructure. Let me explain - rural clubs and not just in Leitrim are watching their numbers decline for a few reasons. One is the laws around planning permission where it’s so difficult for people to build on their own land. When housing does come up for sale in many areas it’s a fiercely competitive market and unfortunately having loads of holiday homes in your catchment area will not keep the small local National school, Shop, Public House and Sports club open.

CHECK OUT WILLIE DONNELLAN'S HIGHS AND LOWS OF LEITRIM 2024 SPORTING YEAR

The more urban clubs are not having the same challenges in attracting members but just like the schools with a high pupil teacher ratio having the infrastructure like training parks, pitches and swimming pools is another challenge. I know first hand from being involved in a local pitch development project that the costs involved are frightening and the day has come where the stake being put forward by local communities to secure matching funding will have to be reduced or many areas will be stagnant when it comes to developing such facilities.

ONE TO WATCH 2025

I would seriously fancy Donegal to give the All-Ireland football championship a real crack. A year ago, in this piece I asked how the question would Jim McGuinness fair out? An Ulster title and a division 2 League title was progress, but he knows there was an All-Ireland there for the taking. Just look at who the Donegal manager has tempted back and players like Michael Murphy will play a significant part -they will be a team to watch.

Elsewhere remember the name Ruben Amorim, at last a manager at the beginning of his term at Old Trafford who is addressing and looking to uproot the imposters posing as Manchester United players. The sleeping giant is waking after a decade in the wilderness!